WUNRN
Militarism, Violence And Conflict – How Women Bear The
Brunt Of War
Militarism, conflict and violence are on
the rise and have a range of gender-specific impacts. Increased spending
on defense, arms and security often means that spending on social services is
being cut. In the context of militarism and conflict violence against
women also increases and attacks on women’s human rights defenders are growing
and are increasingly normalized.
AWID spoke with Mavic Cabrera-Balleza[1] about the linkages between the global crises,
militarism, conflict and the perpetuation of violence against women (VAW).
This article is part of a series of Friday
Files to explore some of the issues and debates related to the AWID 2012 Forum
theme and draw the connections between women’s rights issues and economic
power. For more information related to militarism, conflict and violence click here.
By Gabriela De Cicco
AWID: How has the global context
of multiple crises - economic, financial, food, water and environmental -
impacted militarism and the perpetuation of the VAW across the world?
Mavic Cabrera-Balleza (MCB): There are two
key factors here - the use of “power over the other” (with women being the
other) as a predominant principle in military strategies and campaigns; and the
use of VAW as a mechanism for preventing women from challenging structures that
perpetuate the crises.
The use of violence against women as part
of military strategy is now more evident as seen in the use of rape as a weapon
of war in a number of countries including
On the other hand, the multiple global
crises enabled social movements and the women’s movement to rethink, innovate
and consolidate our responses to the issues aggravated by the crises
–militarism and VAW included. The Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street are just
two of the recent and concrete examples of people coming together to think of
multiple socially progressive responses to the multiple global crises.
Peace activists are also taking part in
transnational activism and building solidarity across issues and geo-political
spaces. We invest time, efforts and resources to negotiate our political
identities and agenda and forge linkages with those who share our fundamental
goals, values and principles. The adoption of the UN Security Council
Resolutions (UNSCR) 1325 and 1820 and the three other supporting resolutions as
well as the ongoing advocacy around the CEDAW General Recommendation on Women
in Conflict and Post-conflict Situations are both the outcomes and evidence of
such efforts to build solidarity and link the issues confronted by women in
communities directly affected by conflict with those of other women in similar
conflict-affected situations around the
world.
AWID: What is your understanding of the
linkages between neoliberal globalization, VAW and militarization?
MCB: Neoliberal globalization brought
about an increase in poverty on a scale we have never seen before. Income
inequalities have drastically increased both within and across countries. And
since women represent disproportionate percentages of the world’s poor it
further increases their vulnerability to violence and all forms of abuse.
Moreover, neoliberal globalization has
undermined people’s rights and resulted into States abandoning their
responsibility to provide basic social services and it is again women who are
first to be negatively affected. Their health is compromised because they have
less access to government health care services. Women and girls’ access to
education has also decreased. Their livelihood, employment and other economic
rights are diminished. In other words, neoliberal policies further strengthened
the existing socio-political and economic systems and structures in ways that
reinforce gender inequalities that make women and girls more vulnerable to
violence, particularly those living in poverty, in conflict-affected
situations, migrant women, indigenous women, and women from racial, ethnic and
religious minorities.
Militarization is the usual response of
States and corporations to resistance –often collaborating in their actions and
sometimes acting independently, but using State apparatus, like the police and
military, to discipline, criminalize, and control women and other marginalized
groups who resist neoliberal policies.
AWID: What do you think an alternative
development strategy - grounded in economic, environmental and gender justice -
looks like?
MCB: An alternative development
strategy has as its starting point social objectives such as poverty reduction,
right to health, right to education, right to clean environment and sustainable
peace. It is people-centered, rights-based and needs based. It is neither
driven by the desire for economic growth nor market expansion. It requires a
bottom-up approach that entails optimum use of resources and builds on
countries’ and communities’ socio-cultural and political contexts while
respecting international human rights laws and policies. It takes into account
human, natural and technological resources as well as the environmental
situation.
It is important to note that the women’s
and social movements are not just resisting neo-liberalization and the myriad
problems it brings. They are identifying alternatives, and formulating and
developing solutions - and in a number of instances - opportunities. We are not
starting from scratch when we talk about an alternative development strategy.
There are already a number of good initiatives we can build on, draw lessons
from, modify, replicate and use as building blocks for a more inclusive and
holistic alternative development strategy. Women’s groups and other civil
society actors have been part of authentic fair trade initiatives; livelihood
and farming cooperatives; and community-based primary health care programs
among others.
AWID: UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and
Security is one of the most important international mandates covering the full
and equal participation of women in all peace and security initiatives? How
does the resolution address women's economic empowerment? What in your opinion
are the gaps in this area?
MCB: UNSCR 1325 or the Security Council
itself does not address the issue of women's economic empowerment. This
reflects the compartmentalization of UN structures and mandates. Under the UN
Charter, the Security Council’s primary function is to maintain international
peace and security in accordance with the principles and purposes of the United
Nations. The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is the principal organ that
coordinates economic, social, and related work in the UN. The ECOSOC is the
central forum for discussing international economic and social issues, and for
formulating policy recommendations addressed to
The lack of attention to the links between
financial and in-kind resources, employment, livelihoods and human security in
the women and peace and security agenda is a major concern for us. This is the
reason why Global Network of
Women Peacebuilders (GNWP) and Cordaid
initiated a study on Costing and Financing Implementation of United Nations Security
Council Resolution 1325 as well as discussions on women’s economic
empowerment in conflict-affected environments.
AWID: What are the consequences of
military expenditure on women's security?
MCB: We first need to clarify which
concept of security we are discussing - and there are two concepts of security
that are relevant in the context of our discussion: national security[3] and human security[4].
Women peace activists subscribe to the
concept of human security. Coming from this position, we can say outright, that
military expenditure supports war efforts that sacrifice women’s security. In
addition, military expenditure eats up the funds that could feed, clothe and
educate women and girls and in the process help guarantee their security. World
military expenditure in 2010 is estimated to have been $1630 billion. The
region with the largest increase in military spending was
Public spending reflects fundamental
social values and national priorities. When States limit social spending in
favor of the military, this indicates less value being placed on human
security, total human development, including women's contributions and women's
social functions. Women's full participation in budget allocation and
monitoring of public spending is needed in order to change the pattern of
public spending and direct it toward social needs.
AWID: For many, war equals employment (in
armed and security forces etc.), but is also linked to expensive contracts and
corruption. How does this apply to and impact on women?
MCB: War=jobs= “development” is a false
equation. What most countries spend on war is beyond what they can afford and
as a result they generate public debts. Taking resources that could be
used to feed, clothe and educate people, build homes, mitigate the impact of
environmental degradation in order to manufacture or purchase guns, bullets and
bombs does not make sense for any economy. In addition, the production and sale
of arms, tanks, ships and other military hardware does not facilitate exchange
of goods nor obey market laws as they are directly bought or traded by states.
We should not also forget the human cost of war in terms of deaths and
displacements; and the other financial costs for medical care and disability
pension for current and future war veterans.
Women have not benefitted from the
business of war. They bear the brunt of war. 80% of the victims of war are
women and children. We need to educate our constituents about the multiple impacts
of war and how it stunts the growth of the productive economy and genuine
development of societies.
[1] International Coordinator, Global Network of Women
Peacebuilders (GNWP) and program partner of the International Civil Society
Action Network
[2] It is responsible for: promoting higher standards of
living, full employment, and economic and social progress; identifying
solutions to international economic, social and health problems; facilitating
international cultural and educational cooperation; and encouraging universal
respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
[3] “National security refers to the protection of a
nation from attack or other danger by holding adequate armed forces and
guarding state secrets. The term national security encompasses within it
economic security, monetary security, energy security, environmental security,
military security, political security and security of energy and natural
resources…. (USLegal.com. National Security Law & Legal Definition.
Retrieved from http://definitions.uslegal.com/n/national-security/ on Feb.
7, 2012).
[4] The Commission on Human Security defines human security
as the protection of "the vital core of all human lives in ways that
enhance human freedoms and fulfillment. [Therefore,] human security means
protecting fundamental freedoms; protecting people from critical and pervasive
threats and situations using processes that build on people's strengths and
aspirations. It means creating political, social, environmental, economic,
military and cultural systems that, when combined, give people the building
blocks for survival, livelihood and dignity. …. (UN Trust Fund for Human
Security. Human Security. Retrieved from http://ochaonline.un.org/Home/tabid/2097/Default.aspx on Feb. 7,
2012).